1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to improvements to a flashlight system of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,239,451 and 5,357,411, filed on Aug. 31, 1992 and Jun. 25, 1993, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a flashlight for use by fire fighters and for use in other specialized areas. The flashlight comprises a body that contains one or more batteries for powering the flashlight, and a lamp housing that is separable from the body, but maintains electrical communication with the power supply carried in the body via electrical cable.
1. Description of the Related Art
Flashlights are known in the prior art having various different configurations and sizes. A small number of prior art flashlights have been specifically designed for use in the many different situations encountered by fire fighters as well as other occupations.
In some situations, flashlights are conveniently and effectively used when carried in hand. In other situations, it is more convenient and effective to attach the flashlight to a helmet, belt, or the protective clothing or equipment worn by the fire fighter to free the fire fighter's hands for other purposes. For example, it is often desirable to suspend the flashlight with its lamp positioned on the fire fighter's helmet or on the chest area of protective clothing so that the flashlight beam is directed along the fire fighter's line of sight as the fire fighter moves freely about. However, it is cumbersome for a fire fighter, wanting to use the flashlight hands-free for prolonged periods of time, to have the entire weight of the flashlight structure suspended from high up on the clothing or on the helmet worn by the fire fighter. Therefore, various different types of flashlights have been developed where the lamp portion can be separated from the body of the flashlight containing the power source. Examples of these are disclosed in the U.S. patents nos. of Lozar U.S. Pat. No. 4,298,913; Brown U.S. Pat. No. 2,164,898; Miyaoka U.S. Pat. No. 2,071,557 land Wheat U.S. Pat. No. 1,757,889. Separation of the lightweight lamp from the body of the flashlight permits the weight of the batteries contained in the body of the flashlight to be carried in any manner most convenient to the fire fighter, for example from a belt around the waist, while the lighter weight lamp portion is more comfortably attached to a helmet, clothing, or other structure. However, each of these prior art flashlights are disadvantaged in that they have no provision for conveniently storing the length of wiring connecting the lamp to the power source. The U.S. Patents of Brown '898 and Miyaoka '557 show storage compartments provided for the wiring, but the wiring must be bunched up and stuffed into the compartment when stored.
It is also often desirable to have a lamp housing on a flashlight that is capable of being moved to several adjusted positions relative to the body of the flashlight containing the power source. This enables the fire fighter or other user of the flashlight to position the body of the flashlight on a support surface and direct the lamp housing of the flashlight to a desired adjusted position to direct the light beam to a particular area. With such a feature on the flashlight, the flashlight can be placed on the support surface with its light beam directed to a particular area of work and does not require a user to hold the flashlight with its beam directed to the area of work. Flashlights of this type are also known in the prior art and are disclosed in the U.S. patents of Champagne et al. U.S. Pat. No. 1,820,960; Kivela U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,595; Penney et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,304; Kozar U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,982; and Yuen U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,297.
However, many prior art flashlights that are equipped with a lamp housing connection to the power source of the flashlight body that enables the lamp housing to be moved to a variety of positions relative to the flashlight body do not permit the lamp housing to be separated from the flashlight body. And in prior art flashlights where an adjustably positioned lamp housing on the flashlight body is separable from the body to be attached to clothing or equipment such as that disclosed in the Kivela patent, the lamp housing requires a specialized connector apart from the connector which attaches the lamp housing to the flashlight body in order to attach the lamp housing to the clothing or equipment of the user.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flashlight where the lamp housing of the flashlight is easily separated from the body of the flashlight and where the electrical wiring connecting the lamp to the body is easily stored within the lamp housing. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a flashlight where a connector between the lamp housing and the flashlight body enables the lamp housing to be moved to a variety of adjusted positions relative to the flashlight body and the same connector, also enables the lamp housing to be separated from the body and attached to an article of clothing or equipment of the user of the flashlight.